The present invention relates to a toilet brush. In a particular form it relates to a toilet brush provided with cleaning portions extending in different directions. In a further particular non-limiting aspect it relates to a toilet brush and a housing therefore.
Toilet brushes typically are provided with a handle and a brush end. The brush end may be provided with a number of holes which are used to locate and attach a number of bristles which form the brush. The bristles all point in one direction usually at about 60xc2x0 to 90xc2x0 to the direction of the handle end of the brush. With a brush construction of this type, it is generally easy to brush a toilet bowl with the angle of the brush head making it easy to cope with the changing angles of the bowl. However, many toilet bowl constructions include an upper step or lip which is substantially at right angles to the bowl. As this portion of the toilet can be subject to soiling, it is important that the brush be constructed in such a way that in can easily reach the underneath of the lip whilst at the same time being able to clean the bowl part of the toilet.
Unfortunately, as the conventional brushes have their bristles angled so that they may readily clean the bowl part of the toilet, they are very poorly designed in relation to the cleaning of the aforesaid lip portion which is at right angles thereto. Furthermore, because such brushes are typically constructed by attaching a number of bristles in locating holes, the step of assembling the bristles to form the brush, because it represents an additional step in the manufacturing process, can lead to an increase in the overall cost of the brush.
Thus there is a need for a brush which can readily clean both the toilet bowl of a toilet and the over hanging lip portion of the toilet bowl. In addition, there is a need for a brush which can be manufactured without assembling bristles to form a brush.
The invention provides
a toilet brush including,
a frame member having a brush end, a handle end and an intermediate portion joining the brush end and handle end,
a primary cleaning portion including bristles extending from the brush end, and
a secondary cleaning portion extending rearwardly from the brush end.
Suitably the intermediate portion extends generally at an angle to the brush end.
The secondary cleaning portion may thus extend generally in line with and/or parallel to the brush end.
The frame member may be moulded. It may be formed of a polymeric material. The frame member may have a Shore hardness (as measured in the A scale) in excess of 70.
Suitably the polymeric material includes polypropylene or a copolymer of polystyrene and polypropylene. It may include a filler. Preferably the filler may comprise 100% to 40% by weight of the polymeric material, more preferably 15% to 25% by weight. Talc is a suitable filler. The polymeric material may include a fibrous reinforcement. The fibrous reinforcement may include glass fibre. The fibrous reinforcement suitably comprises 10% to 20% by weight of the polymeric material.
The secondary cleaning portion may include bristles. The bristles on the primary cleaning portion suitably extend at an angle to the bristles on the secondary cleaning portion. The angle may be between 70xc2x0 and 120xc2x0.
The bristles may be moulded. They may be formed of a bristle composition incorporating a polymeric material. The bristle composition may include one or more fillers and/or reinforcement materials. Preferably the bristle composition will include a proportion of rubber material. It may also include a proportion of plastics material.
The bristles may be moulded on to the frame. They may be formed of a softer material than the frame member. The bristles may have a shore H hardness of 35 to 85, more preferably 50 to 75 and most preferably 60 to 70.
The polymeric materials forming the frame member and bristles may be chosen such that they bond or fuse together during moulding. The polymeric materials may be Santoprene for the bristles and polypropylene for the frame member. They may include anti-bacterial additives.
Attachment means may be provided on the frame to facilitate attachment of the bristles thereto. The attachment means may include profile features on the frame. Preferably the profile features include one or more ribs, grooves, recesses or raised portions.
A step may be provided on the upper surface of the brush end of the frame member. Suitably the step may be undercut. The material forming the bristles may extend to cover the region of the frame member bounded by the step.
Similarly the handle end of the frame member may be covered with a covering material which is different to the material forming the frame member. The covering material may be moulded on to the frame member to form an integral handle. The covering material may be formed of the same material as the material forming the bristles. It may be moulded on to the frame member at the same time as the bristles are moulded thereonto.
The handle end may be formed with a step. Suitably the step extends partially around the handle end on the upper surface thereof. The step may be undercut. The covering material may extend to cover the region of the upper surface of the handle bounded by the step.
The underneath of the handle end may also be covered by the covering material. The underneath of the handle end may also be provided with attachment means similar to those described hereinbefore to facilitate binding of the covering material to the handle.
Suspension means are suitably provided on the intermediate portion of the frame member. The suspension means may include an intermediate stepped portion. The intermediate stepped portion may be constructed so that the brush may be hung from a brush housing.
The brush housing may include a floor, walls, roof and an opening for receiving the brush. The roof may include a recess. The recess may be generally C-shaped. It may be provided so that the edges thereof may support the intermediate stepped portion when the brush is hung in the housing.
Location of the intermediate stepped portion on the brush may be arranged so that the bristle end of the brush hangs within the housing when the stepped portion is supported by the edges of the recess.
The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.